All these had William Murdock's genius stamped upon them, by
reason of their common-sense arrangements, which showed that he
was one of those original thinkers who had the courage to break
away from the trammels of traditional methods, and take short
cuts to accomplish his objects by direct and simple means."
We have another recollection of William Murdock, from one who
knew him when a boy. This is the venerable Charles Manby,
F.R.S., still honorary secretary of the Institute of Civil
Engineers. He says (writing to us in September 1883), "I see
from the public prints that you have been presiding at a meeting
intended to do honour to the memory of William Murdock--a most
worthy man and an old friend of mine. When he found me working
the first slide valve ever introduced into an engine-building
establishment at Horsley, he patted me on the head, and said to
my father, 'Neighbour Manby, this is not the way to bring up a
good workman --merely turning a handle, without any shoulder
work.' He evidently did not anticipate any great results from my
engineering education. But we all know what machine tools are
doing now,--and where should we be without them?"
Watt withdrew from the firm in 1800, on the expiry of his patent
for the condensing steam-engine; but Boulton continued until the
year 1809, when he died full of years and honours. Watt lived on
until 1819.
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